Castell Nos Rhondda Fach

The Rhondda also has the remains of two Medieval castles. The older is Castell Nos which is located at the head of the Rhondda Fach overlooking Maerdy. The only recorded evidence of Castle Nos is a mention by John Leland who stated that "Castelle Nose is but a high stony creg in the top of an hille". The castle comprises a scarp and ditch forming a raised platform and on the north face is a ruined drystone building. Due to its location and form it does not appear to be of Norman design and is therefore thought to have been built by the Welsh as a border defence; and must therefore date before 1247 when Richard de Clare seized Glynrhondda ' (wikipedia )

22/11/18 part 3 of 3 

link -    Castell Nos . Motte and Bailey design .     

Site of Maerdy Colliery . Last pit in the Rhondda

Lost In The Woods

The Birch Polypore grows on rotting Birch . It's a magnificent looking thing .

I didn't what this was at the time  . Once I compared my photo it didn't take me long to find what I was looking at .I  read a very informative  piece about the chance discovery of a frozen mummified  bronze age man in the Italian Alps in 1991 . An autopsy revealed whipworm in his stomach . Further examination revealed the 5,000 year old bronze age corpse now named  'Otzi' had a lump of Birch Polypore tucked away in a leather strap and pouch worn around his neck  . This tree fungus was used in a number of ways by our ancestors . It could be used as a laxative , antiseptic and tonic  .Perhaps it's most important value was to allow people carry fire when moving camp or setting out on a long hunt . Birch Polypore will smoulder for hours  .

Crug yr Afan

Crug yr Afan   Bwlch mountain pass  60 metres from the Rhondda Cynon Taff / Bridgend County line road sign . . (map ref: SS920954) . 

 I hiked over the Bwlch Mountain along  the edge  Craig Fawr before heading  west to Crug Yr Afan  ,  7km hike from my house . The Cairn is a variant of a Bell barrow . This type of cairn has a mound within a circular ditch  is more likely to be found in southern England or on the other side of the Bristol Channel on Exmoor . Not on the hills and mountains of  South Wales  .Crug y Afan may have been constructed by a nomadic race who migrated from central and southern Europen and across Britain during the early Bronze Age known as the beaker people around 4,000 years ago  .

The hike .

 The site was excavated in 1902. Cremated bones were found contained inside a cist (a box-like chamber) together with a grooved ogival dagger dating from the Early Bronze Age period (ca. 2500 to 1450 BC). In the 1960s pollen samples were obtained from the cairn which indicated that heather moorland and oak woodland were widespread in the region during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods.  (source : Prehistoric Wales )

Taking in the rays of the Autumn sun while  looking north at the majestic  twin peaks of Carn Du and Pen y Fan  .

                                          

                                             

Motorcycle tracks .Council , the forestry commision could make more to protect the site ..Moving the gate at the rear of the cairn 50 metres in any direction .

Steel bar attached to large lump of concrete in cyst . Trig point possibly . 

Crug yr Afan Cairn on a Cairn ?

Craig Fawr 

Mynydd-Y-Glog

Making the most of the Indian summer , Is summer gonna last til Xmas ? I visited Mynydd-y-Glog near deryn , yesterday (SN97100908) .This Cairn is constructed from large limestone rock and has a seven metre diameter making it the largest cairn I have seen in the Rhondda . it's original purpose may have been sepulchral . Epic trip !!!

Waun Leuci

                                                                        Waun Leuci (SN854215)

Bronze age stone is a half mile north from Maen Mawr  ,  half mile drive north towards Trecastle . Stone is visible from the car park across the road  500 metres up the slopes . No one is quite sure of what the purpose of this 2.5 metre stone was . One theory is the stone is aligned with Maen Mawr , one would need to carry a step ladder to prove this ..

Waun Leuci

Stony mound on Waun Leuci has all the characteristics of a Cairn to my untrained eye. (SN854215)

Bronze Age Site at Cerrig Doun

A few weeks ago we drove over to the Black Mountains  high up in the Tawe Valley on the western edge of Brecon , to visit a Bronze Age Complex at Cerrig Duon (sn85132066) 7 miles south of the town of  Trecastle .  Weather was grey overcast with  not even a hint of breeze . First thing I had to do was to get across the stream  which was easy enough , up a shallow band  . The standing stone (sn85132066) and  circle are  situated on a plateau at the foot of the Black Mountains . The place has a mystical vibe  a pall of fog/mist hung over the mountains for the duration magnified the buzz .  .Also here is a ceremonial avenue west of the stone circle (sn85142064) with fallen stones . Two small stones are in alignment with Maen Mawr (sn85132066) ..Mid Winter sun dial ? . ...Well worth the trip ...